talk me into a DVD recorder with TiVo

[murgatroyd]

The long version of the story of my quest resides on AVS forum in my thread need help choosing a DVD recorder.

Here's the short version.

I understand that if I get a TiVo with a DVD recorder in it, I cannot do editing, and will have to accept the program with commercials, stray bits of basketball and hockey games and all.

I record and archive figure skating, which makes the same demands on a TiVo as other high-motion activities like football. What I would like to do is record figure skating and transfer it to DVD. If I do this with a TiVo-DVD unit, I expect to do further editing on a computer (since my current computer is too old and slow and doesn't have a burner, let's assume I will buy a new computer suitable for this when I'm ready to edit).

Here's my question: Let's say I've recorded my skating at the highest possible setting for maximum PQ. The timeslot is 4 hours long. With the current models, can I split that title across disks to preserve PQ, or will it force me to cram a show onto one DVD no matter what? If I can split it, will it allow me to choose the breakpoint, or must I pray that the commercials came where it will split the show for me?

P.S. If I can't split long shows, that's not a deal breaker. I could simply shift my SPs for shorter shows to the DVD-equipped TiVo, leaving my two S1 SAs free to record more long shows.

So -- fess up -- if you had it to do all over again, would you buy your TiVo-with-DVD?

Jan

[shabadoo25]

How many dvd's your recordings will take is based on the PQ you choose.

Best Quality = 1 hour per dvd
High =2 hours per dvd
Medium = 4 hours per dvd
Basic = 8

I doubt you will want to use medium or basic to record a sport.

There is no way to edit a recording made by TiVo.

[petew]

To answer the OP's question. yes a 4hr show recorded at Best will be split over 4 DVD's automagically by the Tivo software. Just keeping loading blanks every 20 minutes. But you get no control over the split points.

[KingCrutch]

Originally Posted by murgatroyd

The long version of the story of my quest resides on AVS forum in my thread need help choosing a DVD recorder.

Here's the short version.

I understand that if I get a TiVo with a DVD recorder in it, I cannot do editing, and will have to accept the program with commercials, stray bits of basketball and hockey games and all.

I record and archive figure skating, which makes the same demands on a TiVo as other high-motion activities like football. What I would like to do is record figure skating and transfer it to DVD. If I do this with a TiVo-DVD unit, I expect to do further editing on a computer (since my current computer is too old and slow and doesn't have a burner, let's assume I will buy a new computer suitable for this when I'm ready to edit).

Here's my question: Let's say I've recorded my skating at the highest possible setting for maximum PQ. The timeslot is 4 hours long. With the current models, can I split that title across disks to preserve PQ, or will it force me to cram a show onto one DVD no matter what? If I can split it, will it allow me to choose the breakpoint, or must I pray that the commercials came where it will split the show for me?

P.S. If I can't split long shows, that's not a deal breaker. I could simply shift my SPs for shorter shows to the DVD-equipped TiVo, leaving my two S1 SAs free to record more long shows.

So -- fess up -- if you had it to do all over again, would you buy your TiVo-with-DVD?

Jan

If you are planning to do almost always do heavy editing of the recorded programming I don't think you need a DVD Recorder. Just buy a Tivo with the largest HD possible (if you are recording everything in best quality that HD will fill up fast) and then use the Series 2 Home Media Option to transfer the recorded content directly from the Tivo to the PC in your house. All that's required is that the Tivo and PC are connected via a home network. It's very easy.

For some programming I like being able to burn directly to the DVD from the Tivo, and I know that my wife, who's not a computer guru, always prefers the Tivo burn option; but for some items, especially sports, I prefer to HMO to the PC, do the editing there, and then burn to a DVD from the computer with only the content (say minus the commercials/pre-game/etc...) that I want to save.